Hiding the fact that you're a brony in public.

[Shaiyeh]

I'm also in the not a brony camp, but definitely an adult collector (g1-g3), and I... literally leapt spectacularly through a 2nd hand shop just yesterday and grabbed a pony. And bought her. xD I alsosometimes wear pins or stuff on bags, and I have a few primark and h&m pony clothing items. other than that, it's not really too obvious until you enter my house xD I have all my army ponies displayed in the middle of my living room and in case someone is visiting that doesn't know I collect I just go 'oh, yeah, that's 1/3rd of my MLP collection. I collect ponies'.

I just imagined you executing an amazing leap over the heads of several customers, before doing perfect pirouettes all the way up to the cash register with pony in hand.

Haha, I like to imagine it like that but it probably looked more like
"PONY!!!"
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[Taffeta]

Also not a brony - I think that term has other connitations here so a lot of us don't identify with it, but as a pony collector I have got to the point where I don't care what people think.I buy ponies and or dolls from toy stores without any issue. I am not much of a G4 collector but occasionally when there is a nnon Mane 6 one on clearance I can be tempted (as I was recently with Honey Rays). I got two gothic G4 from a second hand stall at the summer fair near where I live in London the other week and the lady asked if they were for me. I said yes.

With Monster High too, I have had people in the shop assume they are for a child (I am 35 and I don't really look  my full age so it wouldn't be at all weird for me to be buying for a child) and others who have realised they were for me. One cashier even commented on one of the dolls - it might have been Amanita - and said that sometimes she's tempted to buy them and take them home because they are so pretty.

When I was younger, as a teenager carbooting I always had my sister with me and she was young enough for people to mostly assume the ponies were for her. At that time I didn't want kids at school to know I was still collecting ponies so I sort of let that happen. But these days I'm fine with it.

The only time I play the ignorant adult looking at toys for a kid card is if I am at a second hand sale or or toy fair and my opponent is a dealer. If a dealer thinks you are a collector they are more likely to push up the price. If they think you haven't got a clue they are just keen on making a sale at their original price. With MH this is especially the case. I am not an expert on MH but I do recognise characters and sometimes I find one that is rarer than the ones the dealer is selling for the higher prices. In those situations I have been known to just casually pick up the rarer one and ask for a price. In those circs, excited collector behaviour is a hindrance. If items are not clearly priced on a dealer's table, it's far better to play it cool.

My university room in London is a mix of ponies, dolls and academic stuff. One maintenance man once commented on the dolls and asked if I was a bit old for them. I smiled at him and said, not really, you'd be surprised how many adults collect dolls. And that was that. No issues since.

Most of my friends know I collect. Most of them haven't seen my full collections, but they are aware and they really don't care.

[poniesthatsparkle]

I don't consider myself a brony at all, just a collector. But so far, I haven't really gotten any negative or strange comments about liking MLP. A Gamestop employee didn't care when my mom and I were curious about the Guardians of Harmony figurines behind the counter; he was actually pretty positive about it. A seller at a flea market even remembered me once time after I bought several ponies from him, and even gave me his contact info so he could let me know if he ever found something I might be interested in. Even when I wear shirts that say "Brohoof" I don't get any rude comments. I guess I'm pretty lucky.

[Majesty]

I'm not a brony but a MLP Collector, I mostly enjoy G1's and G3's but I do watch FIM but in my opinion it isn't as good as the earlier seasons.

Anyway, when I first found out about G3's I was in my early 20's and thought I was too old for MLP and I was ashamed that I wanted to collect MLP again.  When I actually started to buy them I was sort of a closet collector but as I got older I didn't care anymore who knew or what people thought.  It was mostly my Mom who gave me grief:  tell me I was too old, I was wasting my money on junk, etc.

I'm 33 now and I have a FIM lunch bag I bring to work, sometimes people look at me like I have 3 heads but I keep on walking.

You don't have to be ashamed to like MLP whether your male or female or whatever generation you prefer.

The only one who can actually make you feel shame is yourself and if you like MLP who cares.  All you need is to take one step to show people in public you like MLP and it's easier from there.  So, next time you're at game stop and you see that plush take that step and ask the guy or girl at the counter how much it is. If he looks at you like you have 3 heads just look at him back the same way.

I know you probably think it's easier said than done but I've done it many times.

Last year I was at Target and bought some Disney's frozen bedding and the lady that was ringing me up said some kid is going to be really happy and I told her flat out they were for me and I could tell she thought I was weird for buying kids bedding and she also felt embarrassed for assuming the wrong thing.  I didn't care.

I always liked having brony associated with male mlp collectors so they feel they can have a group to identify with.  I realize now it's expanded into fans of FIM and what not but both male and female but I'm a MLP Collector and that's all.

Post Merge: June 27, 2017, 08:56:06 AM

Also not a brony - I think that term has other connitations here so a lot of us don't identify with it, but as a pony collector I have got to the point where I don't care what people think.I buy ponies and or dolls from toy stores without any issue. I am not much of a G4 collector but occasionally when there is a nnon Mane 6 one on clearance I can be tempted (as I was recently with Honey Rays). I got two gothic G4 from a second hand stall at the summer fair near where I live in London the other week and the lady asked if they were for me. I said yes.

With Monster High too, I have had people in the shop assume they are for a child (I am 35 and I don't really look  my full age so it wouldn't be at all weird for me to be buying for a child) and others who have realised they were for me. One cashier even commented on one of the dolls - it might have been Amanita - and said that sometimes she's tempted to buy them and take them home because they are so pretty.

When I was younger, as a teenager carbooting I always had my sister with me and she was young enough for people to mostly assume the ponies were for her. At that time I didn't want kids at school to know I was still collecting ponies so I sort of let that happen. But these days I'm fine with it.

The only time I play the ignorant adult looking at toys for a kid card is if I am at a second hand sale or or toy fair and my opponent is a dealer. If a dealer thinks you are a collector they are more likely to push up the price. If they think you haven't got a clue they are just keen on making a sale at their original price. With MH this is especially the case. I am not an expert on MH but I do recognise characters and sometimes I find one that is rarer than the ones the dealer is selling for the higher prices. In those situations I have been known to just casually pick up the rarer one and ask for a price. In those circs, excited collector behaviour is a hindrance. If items are not clearly priced on a dealer's table, it's far better to play it cool.

My university room in London is a mix of ponies, dolls and academic stuff. One maintenance man once commented on the dolls and asked if I was a bit old for them. I smiled at him and said, not really, you'd be surprised how many adults collect dolls. And that was that. No issues since.

Most of my friends know I collect. Most of them haven't seen my full collections, but they are aware and they really don't care.

I'm the same way, I don't look my age either.

[Rainbowrific Renia]

I'm pretty open about it. I don't call myself a brony, but people are aware that I like MLP, that I'm a collector, and pretty much everyone who has talked to me knows about my pony room.

My husband also doesn't call himself a brony either, but he has a Muffins shirt that he likes to wear. He's never been ashamed of it.

This is coming from a couple whose living room is totally Pokemon themed. So as soon as you walk in our house, you can see just how much we don't care about what people think of our interests. We're nearly 30 and our family and friends have just accepted that we're huge kids.

I'm a firm believer in never hiding who you really are.

[MoonstoneFluff]

Also in the "Not a Brony" camp, but absolutely a collector and I'm absolutely proud of that fact.  I've made wonderful friends via MLP, my desk at work and a good portion of our living space is devoted to ponies, Sailor Moon, and Jem.

Being 41 years old, I've long since given up on caring what anyone else thinks.  I'm the person in the office with "the fun desk" and "the crazy hair and nails". 

[Taffeta]

When I used to work at the library, before it closed, my desk in the office had a G3 pony living on it. And my colleagues used to 'play' with her. For example, she inherited in her time at the library a fuzzy bug from a promotional display, a welsh flag (?!) and L-plates (that one colleague made for her as if she were a learner driver). She was absolutely accepted as a part of the office team

[lostpony]

I'm also in the not a brony camp, but definitely an adult collector (g1-g3), and I... literally leapt spectacularly through a 2nd hand shop just yesterday and grabbed a pony. And bought her. xD I alsosometimes wear pins or stuff on bags, and I have a few primark and h&m pony clothing items. other than that, it's not really too obvious until you enter my house xD I have all my army ponies displayed in the middle of my living room and in case someone is visiting that doesn't know I collect I just go 'oh, yeah, that's 1/3rd of my MLP collection. I collect ponies'.

I just imagined you executing an amazing leap over the heads of several customers, before doing perfect pirouettes all the way up to the cash register with pony in hand.

Haha, I like to imagine it like that but it probably looked more like
"PONY!!!"
visitors can't see pics , please register or login

Does anyone else relate to this?  I know I do.

Once or twice I've had a kid pick up something I wanted in the thrift before I got to it, and I keep an eye on them because they'll change their mind and put the item down, and that's when I look like the character above.  Once an adult has their hands on it, they never put it down dangit.  I was disappointed when a guy grabbed a Bab Twilight Sparkle just before I saw it and I small talked him to see if he was going to keep it or not....yup, for his daughter who loves ponies.  Even though I have at least 4 of her already and it was going to a child who would love it more, I was still disappointed...I'm so inexcusably pony greedy!

[Leave a Whisper]

I'm also in the not a brony camp, but definitely an adult collector (g1-g3), and I... literally leapt spectacularly through a 2nd hand shop just yesterday and grabbed a pony. And bought her. xD I alsosometimes wear pins or stuff on bags, and I have a few primark and h&m pony clothing items. other than that, it's not really too obvious until you enter my house xD I have all my army ponies displayed in the middle of my living room and in case someone is visiting that doesn't know I collect I just go 'oh, yeah, that's 1/3rd of my MLP collection. I collect ponies'.

I just imagined you executing an amazing leap over the heads of several customers, before doing perfect pirouettes all the way up to the cash register with pony in hand.

Haha, I like to imagine it like that but it probably looked more like
"PONY!!!"
visitors can't see pics , please register or login

Note to self; Steer clear of Shaiyeh when she sees a toy she wants, or else she turns into frightening, underworld warrior with flame swords and woe betide anyone in her way.

[alkevin]

Sometimes I ask the store owner to wrap the "toy". - Now they never know.

[Taffeta]

I'm also in the not a brony camp, but definitely an adult collector (g1-g3), and I... literally leapt spectacularly through a 2nd hand shop just yesterday and grabbed a pony. And bought her. xD I alsosometimes wear pins or stuff on bags, and I have a few primark and h&m pony clothing items. other than that, it's not really too obvious until you enter my house xD I have all my army ponies displayed in the middle of my living room and in case someone is visiting that doesn't know I collect I just go 'oh, yeah, that's 1/3rd of my MLP collection. I collect ponies'.

I just imagined you executing an amazing leap over the heads of several customers, before doing perfect pirouettes all the way up to the cash register with pony in hand.

Haha, I like to imagine it like that but it probably looked more like
"PONY!!!"
visitors can't see pics , please register or login

Note to self; Steer clear of Shaiyeh when she sees a toy she wants, or else she turns into frightening, underworld warrior with flame swords and woe betide anyone in her way.

Approach only if in possession of an authentic Rainbow of Light.

[Shaiyeh]

I'm also in the not a brony camp, but definitely an adult collector (g1-g3), and I... literally leapt spectacularly through a 2nd hand shop just yesterday and grabbed a pony. And bought her. xD I alsosometimes wear pins or stuff on bags, and I have a few primark and h&m pony clothing items. other than that, it's not really too obvious until you enter my house xD I have all my army ponies displayed in the middle of my living room and in case someone is visiting that doesn't know I collect I just go 'oh, yeah, that's 1/3rd of my MLP collection. I collect ponies'.

I just imagined you executing an amazing leap over the heads of several customers, before doing perfect pirouettes all the way up to the cash register with pony in hand.

Haha, I like to imagine it like that but it probably looked more like
"PONY!!!"
visitors can't see pics , please register or login

Note to self; Steer clear of Shaiyeh when she sees a toy she wants, or else she turns into frightening, underworld warrior with flame swords and woe betide anyone in her way.

Approach only if in possession of an authentic Rainbow of Light.

yep! My ponies! My own... my precioussss..... xD



Seriously though, lostpony, about keeping your eye (sometimes possibly a bit of an evil eye) on kids with ponies in their hands - yep, guiltyyy. xD even with this one, I actually had to have the sweet old lady to put the pony away for me because we didn't have any cash (sweden is like... nobody does cash anymore, especially not around the capital, we live in a small town just outside), so we had to get to an ATM. she put the pony on the till clearly visible to any kids with parents that might have entered the shop... safe to say I positively ran through town and back, eyeing/staring down any little kid coming from the direction of the shop... prooobably kind of intimidating. Not my proudest moment. well, luckily, the pony is safe here with me now. xD

[Jorgito93]

I'm also in the not a brony camp, but definitely an adult collector (g1-g3), and I... literally leapt spectacularly through a 2nd hand shop just yesterday and grabbed a pony. And bought her. xD I alsosometimes wear pins or stuff on bags, and I have a few primark and h&m pony clothing items. other than that, it's not really too obvious until you enter my house xD I have all my army ponies displayed in the middle of my living room and in case someone is visiting that doesn't know I collect I just go 'oh, yeah, that's 1/3rd of my MLP collection. I collect ponies'.

I just imagined you executing an amazing leap over the heads of several customers, before doing perfect pirouettes all the way up to the cash register with pony in hand.

Haha, I like to imagine it like that but it probably looked more like
"PONY!!!"
visitors can't see pics , please register or login

Note to self; Steer clear of Shaiyeh when she sees a toy she wants, or else she turns into frightening, underworld warrior with flame swords and woe betide anyone in her way.

Approach only if in possession of an authentic Rainbow of Light.

yep! My ponies! My own... my precioussss..... xD



Seriously though, lostpony, about keeping your eye (sometimes possibly a bit of an evil eye) on kids with ponies in their hands - yep, guiltyyy. xD even with this one, I actually had to have the sweet old lady to put the pony away for me because we didn't have any cash (sweden is like... nobody does cash anymore, especially not around the capital, we live in a small town just outside), so we had to get to an ATM. she put the pony on the till clearly visible to any kids with parents that might have entered the shop... safe to say I positively ran through town and back, eyeing/staring down any little kid coming from the direction of the shop... prooobably kind of intimidating. Not my proudest moment. well, luckily, the pony is safe here with me now. xD

I don't think a pony, even the rarest nirvana, is worth getting arrested because someone thought you were a pedophile.

[lostpony]

But I was staring at the pony!  The jury's tooootally going to buy that.

[Shaiyeh]

O: I did *not* mean staring like that. more like you know, evil stare because don't you DARE go for my ponies *hiss* xD